With getting on for four years hands on experience at making sawdust, shavings and (lately) chips, I find myself looking increasingly for information on specific aspects of woodworking, trying to cross the line that separates a beginner from an intermediate. While TV programs, magazines and forums have all played their part in furthering my knowledge base, I find that books have been the main source of my education.
To date, my book collection has been fairly broad based, trying to get a good grounding in the basic essentials of technique, tool selection and maintenance, workshop arrangement etc, occasionally delving into fairly complex explanations of why wood behaves as it does. While most of my collection have provided valuable information, there are a select few that I’d be stumped without; I find myself reaching for them early on in the planning stages of a project, selecting appropriate joints, tooling required, areas where I need to pay particular attention etc. Lately, I’ve stumbled across a wealth of information in books that are no longer in print, although still available through specialist outlets….
Sooooo… Which books would you consider essential? What titles have you benefited most from? Which titles would you recommend for beginners, intermediate and advanced woodworking? Are there any you’d recommend avoiding for whatever reason? Where do you buy from?
To date, my book collection has been fairly broad based, trying to get a good grounding in the basic essentials of technique, tool selection and maintenance, workshop arrangement etc, occasionally delving into fairly complex explanations of why wood behaves as it does. While most of my collection have provided valuable information, there are a select few that I’d be stumped without; I find myself reaching for them early on in the planning stages of a project, selecting appropriate joints, tooling required, areas where I need to pay particular attention etc. Lately, I’ve stumbled across a wealth of information in books that are no longer in print, although still available through specialist outlets….
Sooooo… Which books would you consider essential? What titles have you benefited most from? Which titles would you recommend for beginners, intermediate and advanced woodworking? Are there any you’d recommend avoiding for whatever reason? Where do you buy from?
